Iowa vs Iowa State Rivalry Preview | Iowa Hawkeyes Football News

0:00On September 9th, alright, let's talk about this big rivalry game coming up. Iowa is looking like the heavy favorite, coming in as a 13 and a half point spread. This is a huge margin, especially considering how close these matchups usually are. The last five games have been decided by a total of just 24 points, so don't let the odds fool you. Iowa looks solid in their first game, but this is the real test. Now, both teams are looking a little different this season. Iowa State in particular had a nail bite or last year and lost a bunch of players. Iowa's roster is more talented overall, but they've got their own questions, especially at quarterback. They split time between two guys, Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinsky, and it's still not clear who's got the starting job locked down. The human element in these rivalry games is always huge. Iowa State knows they're the underdog, so they're going to play loose, trying to catch Iowa off guard. Iowa can't afford to play tighter, play it safe. They need to come out strong and impose their will from the jump.

1:01If they let Iowa State hang around, things could get dicey. Looking at the game plan, two things stand out for Iowa. First, they need to establish their run game. Their backs showed up big time last week, especially Kamari Molten, who had a monster game. They need to lean on that ground attack. Second, they've got to contain Iowa State's quarterback, Jalen Rainer, when he decides to run. He's a threat with his legs, and if Iowa can keep him in the pocket, they'll be in a much better position. So if Iowa can control the line of scrimmage, get their run game going, and keep Rainer from breaking off big runs, they should be able to handle business. It might not be a blowout, but they've got the pieces to get the win if they play their game. That's your Iowa Hawkeyes football news today update, AI powered and always on.